The New Balance 550 became a smash hit in the sneaker world when Teddy Santis’ Aimé Leon Dore first facilitated the initial retro colorways. Now, the two are teasing their next big release, this time reviving the 650R high-top.
The partnership between New York-based menswear brand Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance has brought us some of the most exciting sneaker releases of the past several years, as well as paving the way for new trends like the current wave of retro basketball models. With the 550 now readily available from New Balance in a variety of colors, the ALD and NB teams have been hard at work on their next project, which will bring the high-top cousin of the 550, the New Balance 650, back to life in a faithfully remastered form. Now titled the 650R (R likely standing for remastered), the silhouette features much of the same looks as its predecessor, albeit with a higher-cut collar for better ankle protection on the court, and Instagram-moodboard-worthy aesthetics in a more realistic sense.
AIME LEON DORE X NEW BALANCE 650R RELEASE INFORMATION
New Balance’s first-ever retro of the classic 650R basketball sneaker has not yet been officially slated for release, though we can expect the launch sometime in the Spring of 2022. Like the recent 550 retro, the high-top 650 variant will likely come with a price tag in the $100 range, and will be limited in numbers for the initial few releases. Check out Teddy Santis’ teaser image below for a better look at the 650R, and stay tuned to JustFreshKicks for more New Balance release news.
UPDATE 4/18/22: After an exclusive pre-sale through Aimé Leon Dore last Fall, which are finally arriving in customer’s hands this week, ALD has opened up a raffle for another shot at their New Balance 650 collection. Featuring colorways in green, navy blue, red, and grey for $165 each, the raffle remains open until April 19th at midnight Eastern time. Winners will be emailed the following day with the chance to purchase.
